Placing Blame
by Marj
Summary: For Nakajima and Natsumi, dealing with the aftermath of an almost disastrous sting operation had not been easy at all.


_Author's Notes:  
_This story is heavily based on the events that took place in Full Throttle's File 7. It also mentioned a couple of events from the First Season's File 26 and the Specials' File 2.3.

_Disclaimer:  
_Taiho Shichauzo/You're Under Arrest is owned by Kousuke Fujishima and is presented by TBS, Kodansha Ltd., Bandai Visual Co. Ltd., and Marubani Corporation. Japanese manga presented by Kodansha, English adaptation brought by Dark Horse and Studio Proteus. I own nothing, zip, wala, nada (except this fic), so please don't sue me!

* * *

**Placing Blame**

* * *

Nakajima glared at the taxi in front of him.

Though the occupants were only dazed, Nakajima didn't think the criminals would still attempt to escape. Not with the car anyway – that windshield he broke and the paint that had scraped off the vehicle during the chase would catch anyone's attention, and if they tried to run on foot, well, Nakajima had his motorcycle, and he definitely wouldn't let them get away. Not after all the women they had victimized.

Not after they had assaulted Miyuki.

His earlier concern returning, he turned around to where he had left her lying on the ground. To his immense relief, Miyuki had managed to lift herself up. Though she had a hand on her head and looked rather unsteady on her feet, it didn't seem like she was badly injured – she had even managed to walk half-way towards him. Nakajima relaxed as he gave her a thumbs-up, along with a triumphant grin which she most likely couldn't see through his helmet, but probably knew about anyway.

A little farther away, a drunk Natsumi uttered something which he was not able to hear.

The time it took for Nakajima to get off his motorcycle and take off his helmet was the length of time it took for Miyuki to cross the remaining distance between them. His mind told him that that was rather slow for her, but his heart didn't care about that for a moment. He was too absorbed into Miyuki's smile.

She looked so cute with that brown wig . . .

He had been so distracted, he almost missed it when she suddenly swayed and began to fall; his helmet dropping as he reached out to catch her.

It was only then when he realized how serious her head injury probably was.

As he laid her back on the ground, Nakajima immediately assessed Miyuki's condition. Her earlier speech had been slurred, her gait unsteady, her movements sluggish. _Bad_, Nakajima thought, on the verge of panicking. _This is really bad_ . . . "Kobakayawa!"

Miyuki's eyebrows met, indicating that she was still conscious.

"Kobayakawa . . . you probably have severe concussion . . . don't fall asleep! You may never wake up!!" Nakajima pleaded.

Miyuki opened her eyes half-way. "Nakajima-kun . . . that's not true . . ." she whispered.

Even though that was probably true, Nakajima was not willing to take any chances. "I don't know that!" he replied, sounding a little desperate. "And since I'm the one who's thinking straight here, you just listen to what I say for now, okay?"

Despite her condition, Miyuki still managed to let out a small chuckle. "You're cute . . . do you know that?"

Nakajima blinked, startled with the sudden shift in topic. "W-what?"

"So hopeless . . . and yet . . . that hissastsu . . . so cool . . ."

"Kobayakawa . . . !"

"The wig . . . could you take it off for me?"

For a moment, Nakajima debated with himself whether or not it was wise to move an injured person. Eventually, the thought that Miyuki might fall asleep as she laid scared him more than anything else, so he shifted their position so that she could lean sideways against his chest as they both sat on the road. His left arm supporting her back, he reached over with his right hand and gingerly removed the wig from her head.

"Better?" Nakajima asked softly, holding her close after he had tossed the item to the side.

Miyuki let out a contented sigh. "Thanks."

At any other moment, Nakajima would have blushed intensely given their close proximity with one another, but he had other things on his mind right then. Their current arrangement allowed him to take a closer look at her head, enabling him to see what he believed to be the beginnings of a nasty bump.

Thankful that his helmet had not fallen too far and that it was still attached to the police radio on the camouflaged motorcycle, he reached out towards it, careful not to make any sudden movements. "This is Nakajima. I'm with Tsujimoto and Kobayakawa at the Arakawa riverbed. The taxi imposters have been caught – please send over some people to help with the arrest and transport," he said, his voice sounding surprisingly calm.

It didn't take long before the dispatcher on-duty acknowledged his call. "Understood. Personnel will be available in your area in 10 minutes."

". . . Could you have an ambulance brought over by five? We've . . . we've got an officer down here."

There was a short cackle on the receiver before anybody replied again. And it wasn't whom Nakajima was expecting – or perhaps even hoping – to hear. "We'll try to have the medical crew there in five," the chief suddenly replied, his voice conveying a barely suppressed rage. "I have no idea what the three of you did last night, but I expect a full explanation when you all return, Nakajima."

"Y-yes, sir."

"Who's hurt?"

"Kobayakawa, sir."

"Very well, then. We'll talk later."

Nakajima sighed after the chief ended the radio conversation. "We're going to be in big trouble," he said, looking at Miyuki . . .

. . . who seems to have fallen asleep . . .

"H-hey! Wake up!"

Miyuki groaned.

Nakajima tightened his grip on her shoulder. "An ambulance is on its way . . . don't give up now!"

With some effort, Miyuki was able to open her eyes again. "So tired . . ."

He smiled sympathetically. "I know. I'm sorry. Just hang in there, okay? Help will be here soon."

"N-Natsumi . . . ?"

Nakajima glanced over towards Natsumi, who hasn't moved from the ground a few meters away. "Still sleeping, I guess."

"So she's okay . . ." Miyuki said, grateful that her partner was safe.

Anger began to rise from Nakajima's chest as he stared at Natsumi, but he immediately quelled it. "You should really worry more about yourself."

Miyuki shook her head. "I don't need to," she replied, looking up towards him.

Nakajima turned and met her eyes. They have become alarmingly vacant and unfocused . . .

". . . because . . . I have . . . _you _. . ."

Her voice trailed off as she lost consciousness and slumped against Nakajima, her strength having left her completely.

Nakajima's heart pounded out of both adoration and fear. She trusted him. She wasn't worried because she just _knew_ he would take care of her. But what else could he do? He had already called for help, but it wouldn't be there anytime soon. He wasn't able to keep her awake, though he also wasn't sure if trying to keep her conscious was actually even a good idea.

He continued to hold Miyuki in his arms, constantly checking to ensure that she was still breathing, until his colleagues finally arrived with an ambulance in tow. As he watched the paramedics assess Miyuki's condition, a feeling of failure completely overwhelmed him. This wouldn't have happened if he had insisted on keeping an eye on them until they got home. This wouldn't have happened if . . .

"Hey, we've got another one unconscious here!" another paramedic shouted.

Nakajima looked up and stared as they leaned over Natsumi.

_This wouldn't have happened if Tsujimoto hadn't gotten herself drunk! _

"She's not hurt, she's just sleeping," Nakajima bitterly informed them.

Nonetheless, they took her inside the ambulance. By then, Miyuki was conscious once more, leaning against a bed, the head of which was elevated. She had a hand on her forehead and, from Nakajima's vantage point outside the vehicle, looked as if she was in too much pain to answer the questions being asked by the medic who stood beside her. But when Natsumi came in, it was as if she had forgotten about herself and began to inquire worriedly about her partner.

Nakajima's fists clenched tightly as the medics closed the vehicle's doors and left the scene without him, having refused his request that he accompany them to the hospital.

The criminals that were caught would never forget the wrath of the White Hawk of Bokuto that descended upon them afterwards.

* * *

She had one heck of a headache.

It was all Natsumi needed to know to figure out that she was suffering from a really bad hangover.

Groaning, she tried to recall what she had done the previous evening. It was obvious that she had consumed an enormous amount of alcohol. But where? How?

"Natsumi . . . ?"

At least her partner's soft voice offered some sort of comfort in her confusion, even if it had sounded like it was loud enough to make her head explode, given her current condition.

"Tsujimoto-san?"

Natsumi's eyes shot open. Now _that_ definitely did not come from someone she knew. She immediately regretted it though, as the sudden light that assaulted her green orbs gave her an even bigger headache.

"Are you okay, miss? Were you hurt anywhere?"

"I'm fine, I'm fine," Natsumi answered a little woozily. She dared to open her eyes again, this time squinting so as to let as little light in as possible and eventually focusing on the medic leaning on top of her.

Medic. Surrounded by medical equipment. And from the movement she felt, there was definitely no doubt even in her fuzzy mind that she was in an ambulance.

Just what the heck happened the previous evening?

The thought was enough to somber her up pretty quickly.

"Hey, Miyuki, what's going on . . . ?"

Natsumi's voice trailed when her eyes finally landed on her partner. Sure, Miyuki wasn't exactly tanned, but she wasn't _that_ pale.

Suddenly, she remembered. They had a sting operation the previous evening, intending to catch the taxi imposters based on Miyuki's hypothesis. Natsumi found a group of men who looked like they could offer some really useful information. The men managed to give them some ideas of how the perps picked up their victims, but then the beer cans started opening, and she just couldn't help herself . . .

Now she was in an ambulance, with a couple of medics fussing over Miyuki, while Miyuki smiled at her from her upright position on the bed even though she looked pained over something.

"What happened?!" Natsumi demanded, sitting up and taking off the red wig that was still on her head.

"We caught them," Miyuki answered.

Natsumi blinked. "We . . . we did? I don't remember . . ."

Her partner laughed softly. "You were kind of out of it, Natsumi."

She scratched her head sheepishly. "I was, wasn't I? But then, what happened to you?"

"I hit my head. Nothing to worry about, really."

Somehow, seeing Miyuki look so pale didn't quite convince Natsumi that she was telling the truth. A fact which one of the paramedics confirmed. "Actually, officer, they hit you pretty bad."

"'_They_'?!" Natsumi asked incredulously.

"According to Nakajima-san, you were in and out of consciousness before we arrived," the medic continued, oblivious to the panicked expression on Natsumi's face.

"I was . . . ?" Miyuki asked, looking confused. "I remember Nakajima-kun catching the suspects, but I can't really recall anything past that."

The paramedics glanced at each other, concern etched on their faces. "You do remember what happened last night, don't you?" one of them asked.

"Pretty much. I think."

"Well, anyway, your memory gap is another reason for us to examine you further once we get to the hospital."

"H-hold on!" Natsumi interrupted. "What do you mean by that? What exactly happened to her?"

The medic who was beside her grinned. "Are you sure you're not the one who got hit on the head with a wheel wrench?"

"Got hit with a _what_?!"

Natsumi was aware that she was starting to sound like a broken record, but she didn't care. She stood up and leaned on her partner's bed so that she could move her face closer to hers. "How . . . what . . . why didn't you wake me up?!"

Miyuki shrugged nonchalantly. "You wouldn't."

"Well then why the heck did you still look for that damn taxi when . . ."

"When you were drunk?"

Natsumi bit her lip. Miyuki didn't look as if she was blaming her, but that really only made her feel even more guilty than she already was.

"Believe it or not, I wasn't trying," Miyuki calmly answered. "I just needed a ride to get us home, and happened to snag the jackpot along the way."

". . . you took a black taxi."

"I did."

"That was stupid."

"I know."

Natsumi sat back on her own bed, both hands on her face as she rest her elbows on her knees. "Miyuki . . ."

"Look, what's done is done. I was careless. I really should have known better, and it was really fortunate that you had let Nakajima-kun know about our activities. We'll just have to do better next time, okay?"

When Natsumi looked up, Miyuki had leaned further into her covers, and seemed as if she was completely exhausted from their short conversation. Not wanting to drain whatever energy her best friend had left, Natsumi gave her a short smile and ended the discussion by saying, "Okay."

It still did not make her feel any better about herself though.

* * *

They said it did not look as if she would have any lasting damage, but had warned her to take it easy, especially considering her history – according to Natsumi, she had already hit her head before on _another_ sting operation, and that it had also been bad enough to render her unconscious.

As far as Nakajima was concerned, the chief should find some ways to forbid Miyuki from ever going into another undercover assignment again, as nothing good ever seemed to come out of it for her, health-wise. Chased by a knife-wielding maniac with her clothes nearly cut to shreds . . . slugged by a thief in a stupid monster costume . . . injured by another suspect in another disguise with a tool that was really only ever meant for wheels . . . what next?

And where was her partner in all of this?

Once not present, twice asleep.

The chief had given them a thorough lashing when all three had reported to work after Miyuki was released from the hospital with a bandage wrapped around her head. This was most likely enough to get the infamous duo to lay low on their impulsive streak for a short while and give Nakajima some time to get over his worries.

But he never had to deal with a growing hatred for someone he had to trust Miyuki's life with before.

In fact, it was so bad that he decided to spend time in the garage for a while to get rid of the black wrapper he had used to disguise his police motorcycle the previous day. Nakajima knew he needed to cool off, and being in the same room as Natsumi would not help him in any way.

He was surprised when Miyuki came to speak to him, apologizing for having gotten him involved. But he was glad he was involved. Otherwise, who knew what would have happened?

Then she mentioned it . . .

"That had been really cool. That hissatsu of yours."

Nakajima looked up towards her, stunned.

He had been told that she didn't remember anything from after the capture to when she woke up inside the ambulance. This devastated him – somehow, her knowing that she had personally told him that she trusted him with her life meant more than what he thought it would. But was this a glimmer of hope in his otherwise dark morning?

"Kobayakawa, do you . . . ?"

"I'm really sorry," Miyuki said softly before he could continue. "They told me you took care of me this morning, and that we managed to talk a little. But I can't remember . . ." There was a hint of frustration in her voice.

Nakajima pursed his lips, annoyed with himself. True, he was disappointed, but he realized that it must have been more difficult for the one who actually forgot. "That's okay."

She hesitantly returned her gaze to him. "Was . . . was there anything important we've talked about?"

"Eh? Ah . . . well . . . I . . . you . . ."

Miyuki tilted her head.

"You . . . you told me that . . . that it's not true to keep a person with a head injury awake . . ."

He should have known that he could never tell Miyuki what she had said before she completely blacked out. He felt it was a bit too personal, and besides, it just didn't feel right to tell her what she herself had told him in the first place.

Miyuki blinked. "Oh. I . . . I see."

The two of them stared at each other in silence, before Miyuki bowed her head and covered her mouth with the side of her palm. Her shoulders were shaking, and it didn't take Nakajima long to figure out that she was trying to contain her laughter.

Nakajima felt bitter, but his smile was genuine. At least Miyuki was happy. For him, that was all that really mattered.

"I'm sorry – I didn't mean to insult you," Miyuki apologized after she had managed to regain her composure.

Nakajima stood up from his kneeling position beside his motorcycle and waved his hands in front of him to indicate that he didn't mind. "That's all right."

"No, really," Miyuki insisted. "It seems funny now, but you must have been really worried back then."

"Well, I . . . I guess I was."

Miyuki gazed at him quietly. "Thanks."

Nakajima nodded. Maybe things didn't turn out so bad after all.

* * *

"I'm assuming the doctor at the hospital told her to stay at home today?"

Natsumi scratched the back of her head. "Actually, he wanted her to stay for observation, but she managed to convince him to let her go home."

"And you all went here to the station instead?"

"Err… yeah."

The station doctor looked at her sternly. "You're her partner, aren't you? Weren't you supposed to make sure she goes home and get the rest she needs?"

Natsumi clenched her fists and remained silent.

The doctor sighed. "Nothing we can do about it now. I suggest you go to your chief and get him to give the both of you the rest of the day off. Kobayakawa-junsa _needs_ her rest."

"Can I see her?"

"Go ahead."

Natsumi strode past the doctor towards the patients' quarters and grasped the curtains that were covering the cot where Miyuki was resting. Bad enough that she felt responsible for her partner's injury; it was like rubbing salt on an open wound whenever anyone else added to that guilt.

Her heart sank as her thoughts once more returned to the events of the previous night, and of the hospital trip that followed. The attending physician did not really want Miyuki to leave the hospital, citing possible hemorrhaging and head trauma from the force of the blow. Those were potentially life-threatening conditions, and though the both of them had faced death several times, this was one that Natsumi couldn't look back at and laugh about, especially when she could have easily prevented it.

On the way back to the station after leaving the hospital, Natsumi had apologized profusely in order to assuage the guilt that she felt, but the feeling of emptiness never left. Her emotions were laced with a certain kind of fear and helplessness that was almost unfamiliar to her . . . was this how Miyuki felt whenever Natsumi recklessly threw herself into danger?

Taking a deep breath, Natsumi composed herself before pulling the curtains open. There was no need for Miyuki to know that she was still greatly bothered by the assault . . . "Hey," she greeted.

Miyuki looked quite sheepish as her partner sat on the stool opposite her. Natsumi gave her a lop-sided smile. "You heard, huh?"

"I'm sorry he had ended up scolding you, too."

"Heh," Natsumi made a shooing gesture. "That's okay. I really should have found a way to take you home, anyway. You know . . . like sneaking in some sleeping pills along with your pain meds, since I'm pretty sure you'd be too stubborn to convince otherwise."

Miyuki smiled and shook her head. "I'm fine."

"All the doctors think so otherwise. And after you almost fainted on me, you've got some ways to go before you get me to believe in that, too."

"You say that I almost fainted, but I only stumbled."

"And look pale and nauseous and unable to support yourself afterwards? Try harder."

"I don't have to go home," Miyuki insisted.

"Stay here in the infirmary then," Natsumi replied. "Or better yet, go back to the hospital."

"Natsumi."

"Miyuki!"

The two friends' eyes met, trying to stare each other down.

Natsumi had always been better at intimidation, but she was also quite aware of how convincing Miyuki could be if she wanted to. She couldn't afford to lose this time, though, and Miyuki appeared to recognize this, as she sighed and backed down.

Natsumi relaxed and grinned. "Think of it this way. You were on night-duty last night and today is your day off."

"You know that activities not approved by the chief are not counted as work-related, don't you?"

"Aww, who cares? Your unapproved stint caught the thieves, didn't it? Besides, I bet you have more than enough overtimes to offset this one."

"Gee, I wonder why?" Miyuki asked dryly, looking pointedly at Natsumi, who had more often than not left all the day's reports for her partner to handle.

Natsumi grinned, and knew that that was probably the best time to scoot. "Stay here, okay? I'll go talk to the chief."

* * *

When Natsumi left the patients' quarters, she found the doctor speaking with Nakajima. He had just returned from his afternoon patrol when Yoriko told the White Bike Trooper that Miyuki had been taken to the infirmary again.

Nakajima had wondered why he did not seem to have heard Miyuki or Natsumi's voices over the police radio, but he _had_ hoped that their being silent during their beat had nothing to do with what happened the previous evening – after all, Miyuki seemed fine when they parted earlier that morning. A part of him believed that Miyuki had just been sensible enough not to drive with her head injury, but the other just _felt_ that something was still wrong. Unfortunately, the latter half was correct.

The doctor had been informing Nakajima of Miyuki's condition when he saw Natsumi emerging from one of the curtained beds from the other section. The seemingly carefree smile she had on her face as she came out caused a sudden jolt of anger which coursed through his veins, and for a moment he hardly heard the physician's voice as he stared at her with hatred.

Hatred which Natsumi barely saw, thanks to the sunglasses that covered his eyes. However, she did knew that he had been looking at her, as he suddenly turned his head away the moment she acknowledged him.

Shrugging it off, Natsumi approached him and the physician. "All right, I've managed to convince her to go home. We'll just have to let Kachou know that we're taking off early," she informed them.

"I already suggested that to him," Nakajima replied a little coldly. "He agreed."

"Oh."

"He also lent me the keys to the car issued to him," Nakajima said, showing her the key, the chain of which was looped around his finger. "I'll take her home."

Natsumi tilted her head. "Do we really need Kachou's car for that? I can always drive her back in her car."

"What makes you think she'd let you drive her Yotahachi?"

"Hey, she let me drive Today back to the station once, remember?"

"I really don't think you should be driving her home."

Natsumi was starting to get annoyed with Nakajima's aloofness. He didn't seem like himself at all. "Why can't I? I'm not a bad driver anymore, you know. Besides, what about you? Can _you_ drive?"

Nakajima looked almost insulted. "Of course I can! You don't see me drive a car often, but I do have a license, you know! Who do you think taught you how to reverse that truck once, anyway?!"

The doctor cleared his throat. "Excuse me."

Both Natsumi and Nakajima glared at him. "What?!"

The physician was unfazed, though. "I don't really particularly care who takes her home. Just make sure she gets there. And don't give her any more headaches than she already has by fighting in her presence, okay?" he reminded them, his thumb pointed to the direction where Miyuki laid.

That shut Natsumi and Nakajima up.

"Now, a couple more instructions before you go," the doctor continued. "When you get home, make sure she gets some sleep right away."

"Okay," the two officers answered at the same time, causing them to glower at each other.

"However, make sure you wake her up every hour or so," the doctor advised. "Ask her questions whose answers are obvious. Stuff like her name, her age, who you are, etcetera."

"What for?" Nakajima inquired.

"We just want to make sure she's not suffering any lasting effects from her injury. If you can't wake her up, or if she couldn't answer your questions, make sure you take her to the hospital immediately. You got that?"

Natsumi nodded. "Yes, sir."

"Good. Now get out of here if you're still going to argue on who gets to take Kobayakawa-junsa home."

* * *

They never were able to resolve their issues.

In the end, Kachou asked Aoi and Yoriko to take Miyuki home, as Nakajima and Natsumi couldn't seem to come to a compromise. Even after they arrived at the condominium, the both of them were still at odds with each other – having accompanied Miyuki home on their motorcycles, the two began to quarrel over who gets to help the injured walk towards her unit. Aoi had to step in and support Miyuki himself if only to stop them from arguing.

All throughout their dispute, Miyuki remained reticent. Yoriko couldn't help but wonder what she was thinking about as they walked towards her flat. Though they maintained a distance of a few good feet behind them, it was hard to ignore the angry silence that practically surrounded Natsumi and Nakajima.

When they finally arrived, with Natsumi opening the door for them, she settled on the love-seat in the living room, cross-armed and staring stone-faced at Nakajima, who was on the sofa nearby. Aoi and Yoriko escorted Miyuki to her room in the meantime.

"Thanks. I really think I can handle myself from here," Miyuki said as she sat on her bed.

"Are you going to be okay, Miyuki-san?" Aoi asked.

Miyuki tilted her head a bit towards the general direction of the living room. "I've got those two around, so I don't think there's much to worry."

"Is she kidding? _That_ worries me more than her injury!" Yoriko whispered to her partner.

Aoi gave Yoriko a short warning glance before smiling at Miyuki. "We hope you get better soon."

"'Take care of yourself," Yoriko said, giving her colleague a short hug before they left.

Upon re-entering the living room, Aoi and Yoriko couldn't help but pause. The tense atmosphere was so thick they could probably cut through it with a knife. The two feuding officers were still on their respective chairs; unmoving, unmovable.

Yoriko nervously gulped. "Umm . . . we'll be leaving now, okay?" she informed them meekly.

Nakajima let out what seemed to be an equivalent of a low rumble from his throat, whereas Natsumi gave them a curt nod.

"We'll call and check on you guys later," Aoi said, before he and Yoriko snuck out of the room.

Yoriko let out a sigh of relief once they got out into the corridors. It had gotten incredibly difficult to breathe while they were in Natsumi and Nakajima's suffocating presence, and the seemingly fresh air the hallways provided was quite welcomed. "Yeesh, it's like even Nakajima and Natsumi had their heads hit!" she commented. "Seriously, though. Is Miyuki going to be okay in there?"

"Well, right now Nakajima-san and Natsumi-san seem to be at odds with each other for some reason, but they do care deeply about Miyuki-san. They'll probably work it out, whatever it is."

Aoi bit his lip and looked back with concern on his face.

_At least, I hope so . . ._

* * *

Time passed by, and Nakajima and Natsumi still remained where Yoriko and Aoi had left them. They probably would have stayed that way for the rest of the evening had the doctor not prescribed them to wake Miyuki up and ask her some questions every now and then. There was an unspoken but working agreement to take turns, but between every turn they just sat at their chosen seats without saying a single word.

Frankly, Natsumi has had quite enough. She still didn't know why Nakajima had suddenly become so hostile towards her. All she knew for certain was that she was tired of it, and would like nothing more than to stop him from trying to bite her head off every time she opened her mouth. After all, it was so easy for her to retaliate with a force much greater than his, and everything was sure to get quite ugly quite fast if that happened.

"Don't you think it's time you left yet?" she finally asked.

Nakajima looked up at the sound of Natsumi's cold voice. As if he'd leave Miyuki alone with her! She'd probably just go to sleep and forget all about waking Miyuki up! "Go ahead and get to bed. I'll take care of Kobayakawa," he scoffed.

"Don't put words into my mouth!" Natsumi warned. It was the dead of the night, and her patience was really wearing thin. "Anyway, in case you haven't noticed, it's late, and I don't recall asking you to stay here in _my_ house to help take care of _my_ partner."

"It's Kobayakawa's apartment, too. And why does it matter to you if I stayed and watched over her? At least you get to have your rest, don't you?"

Natsumi gritted her teeth. "What exactly are you insinuating? Are you trying to tell me that I would rather look after my own well-being than Miyuki's?"

"Look who's putting words into who's mouth now," Nakajima replied.

"Just what the hell is your problem anyway?" Natsumi demanded.

"Nothing! I'm just making sure that Kobayakawa would be okay for the night, that's all!"

"And you don't think _I_ could do it?!"

"What do _you_ think?"

Natsumi stood up from her chair in anger. "Do you honestly think I'd skimp out of my responsibilities when my partner needs me?!"

Nakajima had reached his limits as well. "Yes, I do!!" he yelled, stepping up to her. "Do you think we'd be where we are now if you just hadn't gotten yourself drunk?! If you say you're responsible, then _where were you last night when she needed you_?!"

There it was again. The accusation . . . the painful reminder that she had failed to do her job. "There isn't really any need to remind me of that," she said in a dangerously low voice.

"Oh, isn't there?" Nakajima challenged. "You seem to walk around without a care in the world with a stupid grin on your face, happy to have made Tokuno-san impressed and Kachou even just a little bit proud, even though you don't deserve the slightest bit of praise!"

Natsumi's fists shivered in rage. She was incredibly furious, and Nakajima knew it. He was also quite aware of the dangers she posed from that point forward, but he didn't care.

"Get out . . ." Natsumi whispered, trembling as she tried to contain herself with all the sensible willpower she had left.

"Does it hurt to be told the truth?"

Natsumi grabbed Nakajima's collar and pulled him towards her. "Do you _wish_ to know the truth?! I'm _already_ _angry_ _at myself_ for having put Miyuki into danger! I'm _already angry at myself_ for receiving praises I _already know_ I do not deserve! And you know what else? I'm _angry_ that I can't plant my fist into your face right now because I don't want Miyuki to have to visit you at the hospital after she had just been dismissed there herself!"

Nakajima landed roughly on the sofa after Natsumi pushed him away.

"How _dare_ you think that I'm unaffected by what happened?!" Natsumi continued. "What right do _you_ have to judge me without even knowing how I feel about this whole mess?! What entitles you to take away the _only_ redemption I believe I have left?!"

All throughout their argument a nearby alarm-clock rang incessantly, warning them of the task which they were supposed to have done quite a while earlier. It was only then when they finally had the chance to reflect a bit on all that was said that they finally heard it, and upon seeing the time their eyes widened.

"Shoot!" Natsumi exclaimed, running towards Miyuki's room with Nakajima right behind her. The both of them kneeled beside the patient's bed, intending to wake her up little more than half an hour after they were supposed to.

"Kobayakawa?" Nakajima said softly.

Miyuki did not respond.

Natsumi reached out and held her shoulder. "Hey, Miyuki? It's time to get up again."

She did not even stir.

Nakajima was on the verge of panicking. "She's not waking up . . . why isn't she waking up?" he asked. "Who was the last that asked her a question?!"

"Who cares?!" Natsumi answered back. She gently shook her arm. "Miyuki? Miyuki? C'mon, wake up . . ."

Miyuki moaned softly.

"Hey . . ." Natsumi said. "Can you open your eyes for us? This won't take long, I promise."

"We're really sorry, but we just have to make sure you're okay," Nakajima apologized.

Miyuki stared at them with half-opened, glassy eyes. Her eyebrows were knitted together, and she looked very confused. "Who . . . ? Wh-what . . ."

Natsumi and Nakajima looked at each other, their hearts pounding with anxiety over Miyuki's disorientation. "Can you tell us what our names are?" Natsumi asked.

". . . huh?"

"Who we are," Natsumi repeated, pointing to herself and Nakajima. "Him and me. Can you tell us who we are?"

The patient smiled.

"Kobayakawa . . . ?"

Miyuki took a deep breath and answered . . .

". . . _two of the most important people in the world to me_ . . ."

Her caretakers rendered speechless, the resounding silence helped her drift back into her deep, peaceful slumber.

* * *

"I didn't give you enough credit."

Natsumi looked up from her chair.

They had just left Miyuki's room a little while ago, and both had yet to say anything after hearing Miyuki's answer. Due to this, the sudden noise startled her, but what surprised Natsumi even more was the tone of voice Nakajima had used, which had been quite free of the venom it had previously been laced with.

"The stint," Nakajima clarified. "You accompanied her not because you were sure her theory was correct, but because you _believed_ she was correct."

Natsumi shrugged. "Miyuki is hardly ever wrong with her deductions."

"But she does make mistakes. And still you went, despite Kachou's lack of permission." Nakajima looked at her straight at her eyes. "You were the one who thought about informing me about the operation. You had a back-up plan whereas Miyuki had none. And you saved her because of this insight. I . . . I should be grateful, not outraged. I'm sorry."

"What you said is true though. There's no denying that I completely screwed up," Natsumi replied. "I'm regretting it. I really am. I shouldn't have gotten drunk . . . heck, I probably shouldn't have agreed to do that undercover job in the first place."

"But you know she'd do it anyway."

"Heh, yeah. She can be really stubborn at times. Even more so lately than before, actually."

"She has become a little bit more sure of herself ever since you joined the Special Forces a while back," Nakajima informed her.

"That does look like it, but it's starting to get her into a lot of trouble." Natsumi ran her hand through her hair in a gesture of slight annoyance.

Nakajima leaned back on his chair and smiled. "Sounds like anyone you know?"

Natsumi grinned. "Yeah . . . well, that's _my_ role to play, not hers." She rested her elbows on her knees, her hands clasped together as she thought fondly of her partner. "It's actually kind of new to me . . . my having to keep up with her instead of the other way around. But I swore since we've both returned that I would support her . . .

". . . and I intend to protect her with the best of my abilities every step of the way."

Nakajima nodded. "Same here."

No words were shared between them once more, but there was none of the earlier antagonism either. Instead, they quietly assessed each other, recognizing that for all their faults and differences, they both genuinely cared for Miyuki, and that at the very least they could always rely on one another to protect that precious person if the other one was unable to do so for whatever reason.

Natsumi extended her hand towards him.

"Peace?"

Nakajima reached out and accepted it.

"Peace."

An awfully loud growl was heard while they were shaking hands, and they both glanced up, slight blushes on their faces.

"Th-that was you, wasn't it?" Natsumi asked.

"O-of course not! Don't pin it on me when it's obvious it was you!" Nakajima stuttered.

They stared at each other, assessed the guilty look on both their faces, and laughed as they made their way to the kitchen.

* * *

The following morning, Miyuki woke up from the sound of the birds chirping near her bedroom window.

Tentatively she pulled herself up, and found to her satisfaction that she felt better, even though her head was still quite sore.

Her eyes fell on the medicines and the glass of water that someone had left on her bedside table, and she smiled. She knew that Natsumi and Nakajima had been taking turns making sure she was all right during the evening. She also knew that they had been asking her questions, although she couldn't quite remember what they were and if she had answered correctly, considering that she had been more asleep than awake the entire time.

She began to wonder how her caretakers were doing. Miyuki may have been in pain the previous day, but she had certainly not been blind to their sudden hostilities. A glance at her wall clock told her that both should already be at the police station – she would have to make a call at the office to check up on them and see if there was anything she could do.

Miyuki took the pills before rising from her bed and making her way to the kitchen with the empty glass in her hand. She had just entered the living room when she found that the counter that effectively separated the kitchen from the living room was an absolute mess. The living room itself was not spared either – plates were strewn about the table, and she had a feeling that if she opened the refrigerator she would find it quite empty.

She drew closer to the love seat and the sofa surrounding the table, both of which were occupied by breathing, snoring blankets. On the floor between the seats was Natsumi's (near useless) alarm clock, the ringer and the snooze alarm turned off. It didn't take long for Miyuki to realize that they had probably slept right through it; not surprising, considering that they had stayed up all night to watch over her.

Laughing softly, she set the volume and the timer on a radio nearby and clamped a couple of headsets on Natsumi and Nakajima's ears before retreating to the safety of her bedroom.

It was, after all, time for Miyuki to return the favor.

And somehow, she just knew everything was going to be all right.

* * *

--_OWARI_--

* * *


End file.
